- Starting with the last decade of the 19th century and until the end of WW2, Romania and Holland used the same type of 6.5mm cartridge [6.5X53R] having a rimmed bottle-necked cartridge case. During early 1890s Romania adopted for military use the Austrian made 6.5mm Mannicher M-1893 rifle and bayonet. This bolt action rifle [ see it here at http://www.sunblest.net/gun/Mann93.htm ] was used even during the WW2 by some Romanian troops. My grandfather from Transylvania [Romania] had the 6.5mm Mannlicher M-1893 rifle during his military service [1923-25] and later serving on the Eastern Front [1942-44] in the reserve troops. I have in my collection the Austrian made Mannlicher M-1893 knife bayonet with the original scabbard. When fixed to the rifle, the bayonet is on the right side where the bayonet lug is. Bayonet dimensions: Blade length = 250mm; Overall length = 375mm; Muzzle ring [interior] diameter = 14mm. The fullered blade has a width of 27mm measured at crossguard. The grips and the blade tang are of "hump-back" style. Normally the wooden grips are secured at the blade tang by 2 rivets but my bayonet is the rare variant with 2 screws and nuts. The left ricasso blade is stamped with "OEWG" [Oesterreichische Waffenfabrik Gesellschaft]. The righ side of the crossguard has the Romanian stamp "In.77864" which is unknown to me. The scabbard is made of sheet steel and it is marked with the number "69" and with the so called [by the bayonet collectors] the Romanian Phoenix. Actually the mark shows the crowned "acvila" [the Romanian word for eagle] which has been the symbol of Romania [but not during the miserable communist rule between 1945-89]. Two of my pictures will be posted below. More comments and photos will follow later. Orita 08/06/08 P.S. The Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet was never manufactured in Romania, it was only imported from Austria until 1914. It may look like the "Irish bayonet" but there are some small diferences.

07 aug 2008, 05:05

Orita

Sergeant

Geregistreerd: 03 aug 2008Berichten: 102Woonplaats: USA

- Just a short note to what I posted above. You'll see looking to my pictures that I use unusual angles to take the photos in order to show various bayonet elements and shapes. The backgroud is very important for contrast. I've always used only filtrated sun light which in my opinion is the best and the most important is free. Orita 08/07/08

07 aug 2008, 05:18

virjinz

Site Admin

Geregistreerd: 14 maart 2007Berichten: 3547

And here are the pictures Orita sent per mail :

07 aug 2008, 06:08

virjinz

Site Admin

Geregistreerd: 14 maart 2007Berichten: 3547

that bayonet is in an excellent condition, and an interesting model as well. Especially if your Grandfather served with this type of bayonet.

07 aug 2008, 06:10

Orita

Sergeant

Geregistreerd: 03 aug 2008Berichten: 102Woonplaats: USA

- @ virjins: Thanks for posting my photos, there will be more topics and of course more of my pictures. ---> Yes, my grandfather [1900-1983] served with this type of bayonet. Back in Romania I had nice old pictures with my grandfather and his army comrades showing their 6.5mm Mannlicher M-1893 bolt action rifles and the bayonets with shiny blades. Too bad those pictures are now lost for ever. Orita 08/07/08

When WW1 started in the summer of 1914, Romania could not import anymore the 6.5mm Mannlicher M-1893 rifle and the bayonet for it from Austria. During the period 1916-18 Romania participated in WW1 and lost a large quantity of the Austrian made 6.5mm Mannlicher M-1893 rifles and bayonets.
It is not clear how, but a great number of Austrian made Mannlicher M-1893 bayonets used by Romania became Turkish property after the end of WW1 in 1918. These bayonets were modified at the Turkish arsenal "Askari Fabrikalar" which started the activity in 1929. The modified Mannlicher M-1893 knife bayonets in Turkey could fit the Turkish Mauser rifles, it's well known how the Turks modified a large variety of bayonets to fit their weapons.
The only one modification made to the Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet was quite simple: the original muzzle ring with the diameter of 14mm was cut off and a larger muzzle ring with the diameter of 15.5mm was welded in place. The original crosspiece was not modified but the new larger ring was fixed higher that the previous original one. The Mannlicher M-1893 knife bayonets modified by the Turks [I believe the operation took place in late 1930s] have the original Austrian mark "OEWG", the Romanian marks [Romanian Phoenix / "acvila" and serial numbers] and finally new serial numbers stamped by the Turks on the crosspiece [or pommel] and the mark "AS.FA" stamped on pommel showing the modification made by the "Askari Fabrikalar", the Turkish arsenal located not far from Ankara

I'm lucky to have a modified Mannlicher M-1893 knife bayonet in my collection. It has a Turkish scabbard, not the original Austrian one. Please see my 4 pictures from below [two and two together]: --->

PHOTO 1:

TOP => At top there is the unmodified Austrian made Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet with its scabbard, both used and marked by the Romanians. Below there is the Austrian made Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet, used in Romania and later modified in Turkey. Note the longer crosspiece and the crude Turkish scabbard.
BOTTOM => I took this closer photo showing the Austrian mark "OEWG" stamped on the left ricasso, the modified crosspiece and the larger muzzle ring [interior diameter = 15.5mm]. Note that the wooden grips are secured to the blade tang by rivets, not by screws. Also note the serial number "9196" stamped by the Turks on the left side of the crosspiece.

PHOTO 2 [from top to bottom]: Original German WW2 bayonet fixed to my 7.92mm Mauser K98 bolt action rifle manufactured in 1943 [the weapon is fully functional]; Austrian made Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet modified by the Turks which fits to the same German 7.92mm Mauser K98 rifle; closer view showing the hilt of the modified Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet, the Spanish made adaptor which allows the bayonet to be fixed and the longer crosspiece with the muzzle ring that fits perfectly into the end of the barrel. I hope you'll find very interesting all my pictures and the info posted. Please let me know if you guys want to see more of my pictures showing the modified Mannlicher M-1893 bayonet